This invention relates to a multi-column printing calculator, and more particularly, to a calculator which can print alphanumeric data in more than one column and add the numeric data in a selected column, thereby enabling the printing of deposit slips, bills, invoices and similar items.
In the past, various adding machines have been used to print the amounts of deposits on deposit slips and to total the deposits. However, for the most part, deposit slips are filled out manually and separately totalled on a calculator. Many bookkeepers, when filling out deposit slips, prefer to include the check numbers of checks being deposited. Some may also prefer to include other data, such as the date of each check being deposited.
In a typical 26 line item deposit slip, there is plenty of opportunity for errors and as such, wasted spaces on the deposit slip. One way to avoid errors is to use a calculator which permits displaying the deposit prior to printing on a deposit slip. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,219, issued Jan. 6, 1987, a printing calculator is disclosed which can be used to print deposit slips one line at a time. The calculator includes a printing mechanism and is slidable on rails to position the calculator over a desired portion of a deposit slip. The calculator prints a date and the amount of a deposit.
In order to be truly efficient, a printing calculator should permit the amount of each deposit to be entered into the calculator's memory together with identifying data, such as a check number. The amounts and identifying data should be reviewable and correctable prior to printing. Moreover, the deposit slip should be fed through the calculator automatically and, after the deposits are entered, the total deposit should be printed.
Since the basic information being entered into the calculator, i.e., amounts and identifying data, are generic to other documents, such as bill, invoices, and receipts, the calculator is preferably usable for printing such documents. In addition, the calculator should provide various features, such as single stroke re-entry, a limit to the number of entries consistent with the form being used and detection of various problems with the insertion of a form into the calculator.